On a personal level (might as well get this out of the way up top), at the time I was still writing for Redskins.com, by and through the auspices of Extremeskins, the teams’ official message board. For a variety of reasons I won’t get into, that is no longer the case. Instead, at least for a while, I’m going to channel my burgundy and gold addiction through this blog.

To those of you who have been kind enough to ask, I honestly have no idea what the future holds in that regard. And as to this blog, while I have hopes some will choose to read it, I have no real expectations. The Skins blogosphere is already a robust one, so adding one more entry to the rolls may or may not register any noticeable impact. I also know my style isn’t for everybody. What I do know is I needed an outlet for my addiction, so here we are.

And that’s all I have to day about that.

Far more interesting are the changes that have taken place at Redskins Park since January. It would be hard to understate them.

When I last sat down to write about them, the Redskins had just finished a wildly emotional and equally improbable season-ending run to the playoffs. Through funeral tears, Bears, Giants, Vikings and Cowboys, the team wrote a storybook ending to their year you’d surely reject as ‘too Hollywood’ were sifting through screenplays.

In a classic Gibbsian late-season surge, the old legend himself had, for the second time in three years, willed a wounded, undermanned team to the post season.

The young QB Apparent, Jason Campbell, had fallen to season-ending injury in Week 13, leading in turn to the deus ex machina-esque appearance of perennial bridesmaid Todd Collins, who breathed life and fire into former Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders’ suddenly dangerous offense. In those heady few weeds, what the future held at the quarterback position in Washington became an even more intriguing question than before.

Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams’ defense, despite all manner of walking wounded and outright missing parts, had tightened up and were playing legitimate NFL post-season level defense. In their last three games, dominating the NY Giants in the Meadowlands, stifling Minnesota on the road and rolling Dallas at home, they looked capable of playing deep into January.

Just ahead lay the Seattle Seahawks, and had Washington’s karmic run continued another week, perhaps another date with nemesis Dallas, a team NFL observers generally agreed at the time wanted nothing to do with the Redskins again.

Largely gone was the public perception around the football world of the Washington Redskins as “Dan Snyder’s fantasy team.” In its place was a growing perception--for better or for worse depending on if your cup tends to half empty of half full--as “Joe Gibbs’ Redskins.”

It was impossible to imagine then, even as the magic ride ended in a flurry of late-game mishaps and mistakes in the cold Seattle night, just how different the burgundy and gold landscape would look seven short months later.

Extremeskins should not have the only inside access to the Redskins. I think it's one of Dan Snyder's big mistakes on his long list of mistakes. Now I like Snyder as an owner in many other ways, but this issue really bugs me. Maybe one day things will change.

I bring this up because I know that Om was a very big name over there at Extremeskins and hopefully in the future your voice and blog will help continue to illustrate that there is a great and diverse range of Redskin sites and blogs. Many of them should really get more support and encouragement from the team. This is just one Warpath member's opinion. Go Skins!

Thanks for the reply, wilso. Can't say that I disagree with you about access ... just not something I think the team's real comfortable with. Truth be told, not everyone at the Park agrees that having any fan site representatives out there in any kind of "official" capacity is desirable, much less opening things up even further. Maybe one day there'll be a change of heart and they'll find a way to open things up to more fan presence out there, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Just the way it is.

I also wouldn't be too hard on the team ... my guess is that of all the professional sports teams in this country, you won't find many--if any at all--that have gone even as far as the Redskins have with the arrangement with ES. If I'm wrong about that, please just let me know.

Thanks for the reply, wilso. Can't say that I disagree with you about access ... just not something I think the team's real comfortable with. Truth be told, not everyone at the Park agrees that having any fan site representatives out there in any kind of "official" capacity is desirable, much less opening things up even further. Maybe one day there'll be a change of heart and they'll find a way to open things up to more fan presence out there, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Just the way it is.

I also wouldn't be too hard on the team ... my guess is that of all the professional sports teams in this country, you won't find many--if any at all--that have gone even as far as the Redskins have with the arrangement with ES. If I'm wrong about that, please just let me know.

As to the blog, just realized all the links were bad. Fixed now.

Wait, are you still associated with ES? Or have you moved on to your own blog?

__________________You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Sig Is About You

Wait, are you still associated with ES? Or have you moved on to your own blog?

I'm not 'officially' associated with ES at this point. Still have some great personal friendships there though, and a suitcase full of great stories I'll surely be hauling out over cold beers in the years to come.

Count me among those who was disappointed when you decided to step down from your official capacity at ES. To be honest, you were one of the main reasons I hung around ES at all. I have always enjoyed your writing and I'm glad you've chosen to contribute here.

As to this particular portion of your piece, I can definately relate.

Quote:

And then ... after a good night's sleep, with the new day will finally come time for this veteran Skins fan to turn the page. Perhaps it’s just that I’m a product of those years, but looking back now I realize that between Gibbs’ first retirement in ’92 and the day he returned in ’04, I never really had. Not consciously, no ... but undeniably.

Of course, my experience after Gibbs left was a bit more extreme. I stuck it out with Petitbon the season after, but I not only couldn't turn the page, I ripped it out completely. I abandoned football all together. Shocking, I know. Part of it was because I felt no one could replace Gibbs and the Redskins would just be a shell of its former self. The other part was because life simply got in the way and I focused my energies elsewhere. So the Redskins era between Gibbs' departure and return is a bit hazy to say the least.

Gibbs' return brought me back and even though it was equally hard for me to see him retire a second time, I decided no matter what, I wouldn't make the same mistake twice. I am more hopeful and optimistic for this team than I ever have been and I want so much to see Coach Zorn succeed. There will never be another Joe Gibbs, but being able to finally close the book on his legacy and move forward has been liberating. I am very excited to see what the future holds for the next era of Redskins football.

Good read Om, nice blog you have there. That S.T. story brought up some chilling memories of that night, I was still at work at the time it happened and my overnight boss just saw me and was like, Sean Taylor died. I didn't believe him until I got home from work because he was a notorious Redskin-hater, but then I saw it for myself.

OM? Wow. I used to read your stuff too. I can't believe your not on Extremeskins anymore. Well I have had a bad experience over there. But I will try my best not to bash anyone. But I got banned for responding to someone calling me names on the board. Once I responded. I got banned for a week. I look back it was 185 days..then I look back and it was forever..I don't mind anyone disagreeing with me on issues. But when it comes to the point were your insulting me and trying to be subliminal with it. Then that's a different thing. There are some people on the board who have been long time members and have friendships with the moderators there. I was really disgruntled. It made me feel bad as a Skins fan that I was cut off from my Skins family on there because of two idiots that were ganging up on me on a thread.

There were two points of disagreement. They always gang up on me on. When before the first preseason game..First week of training camp. I asked everyone to give JC a fair chance. I got bombarded with hate. They were saying Todd Collins should start...then before Colt Brennan even played a snap they were like he should start...Well I guess you see who had the better end of that debate.

Then there was a debate about Rock & Mason. I basically said that Rock was a better returner and Mason was a better runner. I said that we should hold on to Mason if we could. This dude called me some names and I didn't respond in a nice fashion. I dont think many people would have if you knew what he said. He was a little bit more poetic with his insult. But an insult is an isult and I got fed up of him antagonizing me. But as a result. I get banned (for life) and he is still on there. Went back and read the thread and him and the moderator were having a good laugh out of it.

Anyways. This is all behind me. But it really made me feel bad about being a Skins fan.

I hope that the Skins fans on here are more civil and can discuss things with out calling people names and trying to insinuate someone is stupid because they have a different opinion. Especially when some of my opinions and thoughts are valid now and they are eating crow.

I want to say hi to all the WARPATH family. This will be my new home. Respect me and I will respect you. I a good person and a die hard redskins fan. I love my SKINS!!! But honestly since I am in ATL and I dont get comcast sportsnet. That ban really crushed me. But I believe Karma is a B..and its coming back to them in one shape form or another..that's how life usually works..

Just want to say hi to everyone again and this is the end of my rant. I have read other stories of people being banned from extremeskins..But I hope I can start a new family here.

OM? Wow. I used to read your stuff too. I can't believe your not on Extremeskins anymore. Well I have had a bad experience over there. But I will try my best not to bash anyone. But I got banned for responding to someone calling me names on the board. Once I responded. I got banned for a week. I look back it was 185 days..then I look back and it was forever..I don't mind anyone disagreeing with me on issues. But when it comes to the point were your insulting me and trying to be subliminal with it. Then that's a different thing. There are some people on the board who have been long time members and have friendships with the moderators there. I was really disgruntled. It made me feel bad as a Skins fan that I was cut off from my Skins family on there because of two idiots that were ganging up on me on a thread.

There were two points of disagreement. They always gang up on me on. When before the first preseason game..First week of training camp. I asked everyone to give JC a fair chance. I got bombarded with hate. They were saying Todd Collins should start...then before Colt Brennan even played a snap they were like he should start...Well I guess you see who had the better end of that debate.

Then there was a debate about Rock & Mason. I basically said that Rock was a better returner and Mason was a better runner. I said that we should hold on to Mason if we could. This dude called me some names and I didn't respond in a nice fashion. I dont think many people would have if you knew what he said. He was a little bit more poetic with his insult. But an insult is an isult and I got fed up of him antagonizing me. But as a result. I get banned (for life) and he is still on there. Went back and read the thread and him and the moderator were having a good laugh out of it.

Anyways. This is all behind me. But it really made me feel bad about being a Skins fan.

I hope that the Skins fans on here are more civil and can discuss things with out calling people names and trying to insinuate someone is stupid because they have a different opinion. Especially when some of my opinions and thoughts are valid now and they are eating crow.

I want to say hi to all the WARPATH family. This will be my new home. Respect me and I will respect you. I a good person and a die hard redskins fan. I love my SKINS!!! But honestly since I am in ATL and I dont get comcast sportsnet. That ban really crushed me. But I believe Karma is a B..and its coming back to them in one shape form or another..that's how life usually works..

Just want to say hi to everyone again and this is the end of my rant. I have read other stories of people being banned from extremeskins..But I hope I can start a new family here.